Knowledgebase
Pruning Daphnes #618779
Asked March 25, 2020, 3:51 PM EDT
Lane County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi, Nancine,
Yes, it is OK to
prune Daphne odora, which is the one you have, with some care. It is perfectly OK to trim off damaged
branches, and to tidy it up a bit. The best time to do this is right after it
blooms.
This
Daphne has a naturally sprawly growth habit, up to 5' or more wide (it will develop denser growth in the center, too), and it is not really worth trying to
make it very compact. In fact, the spots you have put them in are much too small. May I suggest you either move them to a place with more room, or remove the
sheared boxes flanking them? The Daphnes will appreciate the extra room. They are also going to want to sprawl into your lawn as they grow.
For much more compact Daphnes, grow the D. burkwoodii
cultivars, like ‘Carol Mackie’).